System and method for module engineering with sequence libraries

Abstract

Method and system for engineering with sequence libraries are provided. A first set of engineering data is defined for a first engineering project to generate a first sequence library for the first engineering project, independently of one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring one or more field control systems. The sequence library assignment process is to assign the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems. The parallel configuration process is to perform a parallel configuration process which configures the first sequence library for the first engineering project, while assigning the first sequence library to another one or more lower level engineering projects.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented engineering method, comprising:
 defining a first set of engineering data for a first engineering project to generate a first sequence library for the first engineering project, the first set of engineering data being defined without depending on or being influenced by one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring one or more field control systems of an engineering plant, wherein the one or more lower level engineering projects are lower in engineering-project-hierarchy-level than the first engineering project; 
 assigning, by a processor and based on user input to a graphical user interface (GUI), the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems; 
 performing, by the processor, a parallel configuration process which simultaneously configures the first sequence library for the first engineering project, while assigning the first sequence library to another one or more lower level engineering projects different from the one or more lower level engineering projects; 
 determining, by the processor, that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete; 
 rendering, by the processor to the GUI, an indication that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete and an option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries; and 
 updating, in response to user input to the GUI that selects the option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries, the one or more first assigned sequence libraries to generate one or more first updated sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 modifying the first sequence library for the first engineering project, to generate a first modified sequence library, independently of the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 rendering, by the processor to the GUI, an indication that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries has been updated to the one or more first updated sequence libraries. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 duplicating the first sequence library to generate a second sequence library for a second engineering project, wherein the one or more lower level engineering projects are lower in engineering-project-hierarchy-level than the second engineering project, and the second engineering project is the same in engineering-data-download-status, assignment-status and engineering-project-hierarchy-level as the first engineering project; 
 updating a second set of engineering data for the second engineering project to generate a second updated sequence library for the second engineering project; 
 assigning the second updated sequence library, to another one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more second assigned updated sequence libraries for the another one or more lower level engineering projects; and 
 performing a parallel engineering process for configuration which configures at least one of the first sequence library for the first engineering project and the second updated sequence library for the second engineering project, while assigning at least one of the first sequence library and the second updated sequence library to still other one or more lower level engineering projects. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 exporting the first set of engineering data of the first sequence library from the first engineering project; and 
 importing the first set of engineering data exported from the first sequence library into the second sequence library of the second engineering project. 
 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 updating the first sequence library for the first engineering project; and 
 updating the second updated sequence library for the second engineering project independently from updating the first sequence library. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , wherein defining the first set of engineering data for the first engineering project to generate the first sequence library for the first engineering project comprises:
 defining the first set of engineering data, of which types include at least one of SEBOL_USER_FUNCTION, sequential function chart (SFC) and unit procedure. 
 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 7 , wherein defining the first set of engineering data, comprising: defining a plurality of sequence library files belonging to the same type. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 updating the first sequence library for the first engineering project. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 9 , further comprising:
 updating the one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects in accordance with a user selection. 
 
     
     
       11. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , wherein assigning the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects comprises:
 assigning the first sequence library to a plurality of lower level engineering projects which are different from each other simultaneously to generate a plurality of first assigned sequence libraries for configuring a plurality of field control systems which are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       12. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , wherein assigning the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects comprises:
 assigning first sequence library files of the same type to one of the one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously, with permission in use of a single user and prohibition in use of any other users in respect of one field control station of the one or more lower level engineering projects for each sequence library type, wherein the first sequence library files include at least one of SEBOL_USER_FUNCTION, sequential function chart (SFC) and unit procedure type. 
 
     
     
       13. The computer-implemented engineering method according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more field control systems comprise a plurality of field control systems which are different from each other. 
     
     
       14. A computer-implemented engineering system, comprising:
 one or more hardware processors; and 
 one or more memories that store a computer software comprising processor-executable instructions, when executed by the one or more hardware processors, to cause the one or more hardware processors to at least:
 define a first set of engineering data for a first engineering project to generate a first sequence library for the first engineering project, the first set of engineering data being defined without depending on or being influenced by one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring one or more field control systems of an engineering plant, wherein the one or more lower level engineering projects are lower in engineering-project-hierarchy-level than the first engineering project; 
 assign, based on user input to a graphical user interface (GUI), the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems; 
 perform a parallel configuration process which simultaneously configures the first sequence library for the first engineering project, while assigning the first sequence library to another one or more lower level engineering projects different from the one or more lower level engineering projects; 
 determine that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete: 
 render, to the GUI, an indication that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete and an option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries; and 
 update, in response to user input to the GUI that selects the option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries, the one or more first assigned sequence libraries to generate one or more first updated sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects. 
 
 
     
     
       15. A plant engineering system, comprising:
 a module engineering editor which further comprises:
 a library navigator that stores a plurality of modules; 
 a sequence library editor; and 
 a system structure navigator; and 
 a sequence library update manager, and 
 
 wherein the sequence library editor is configured to:
 define a first set of engineering data for a first engineering project to generate a first sequence library for the first engineering project, the first set of engineering data being defined without depending on or being influenced by one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring one or more field control systems of an engineering plant, wherein the one or more lower level engineering projects are lower in engineering-project-hierarchy-level than the first engineering project; 
 assign, based on user input to a graphical user interface (GUI), the first sequence library to the one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems; and 
 perform a parallel configuration process which simultaneously configures the first sequence library for the first engineering project, while assigning the first sequence library to another one or more lower level engineering projects different from the one or more lower level engineering projects, 
 
 wherein the sequence library update manager is configured to:
 determine that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete; 
 render, to the GUI, an indication that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries is obsolete and an option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries; and 
 update, in response to user input to the GUI that selects the option to update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries, the one or more first assigned sequence libraries to generate one or more first updated sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 modify the first sequence library for the first engineering project, to generate a first modified sequence library, independently of the one or more lower level engineering projects for configuring the one or more field control systems. 
 
     
     
       17. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library update manager is configured to render, to the GUI, an indication that the one or more first assigned sequence libraries has been updated to the one or more first updated sequence libraries. 
     
     
       18. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 duplicate the first sequence library to generate a second sequence library for a second engineering project, wherein the one or more lower level engineering projects are lower in engineering-project-hierarchy-level than the second engineering project, and the second engineering project is the same in engineering-data-download-status, assignment-status and engineering-project-hierarchy-level as the first engineering project; 
 update a second set of engineering data for the second engineering project to generate a second updated sequence library for the second engineering project; 
 assign the second updated sequence library, to another one or more lower level engineering projects simultaneously to generate one or more second assigned updated sequence libraries for the another one or more lower level engineering projects; and 
 perform a parallel engineering process for configuration which configures at least one of the first sequence library for the first engineering project and the second updated sequence library for the second engineering project, while assigning at least one of the first sequence library and the second updated sequence library to still other one or more lower level engineering projects. 
 
     
     
       19. The plant engineering system according to  claim 18 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 export the first set of engineering data of the first sequence library from the first engineering project; and 
 import the first set of engineering data exported from the first sequence library into the second updated sequence library of the second engineering project. 
 
     
     
       20. The plant engineering system according to  claim 18 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 update the first sequence library for the first engineering project; and 
 update the second updated sequence library for the second engineering project independently from updating the first sequence library. 
 
     
     
       21. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 define the first set of engineering data, of which types include at least one of SEBOL_USER_FUNCTION, sequential function chart (SFC) and unit procedure. 
 
     
     
       22. The plant engineering system according to  claim 21 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 define a plurality of sequence library files belonging to the same type. 
 
     
     
       23. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 update the first sequence library for the first engineering project. 
 
     
     
       24. The plant engineering system according to  claim 23 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 update the one or more first assigned sequence libraries for the one or more lower level engineering projects in accordance with a user selection. 
 
     
     
       25. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 assign the first sequence library to a plurality of lower level engineering projects which are different from each other simultaneously to generate a plurality of first assigned sequence libraries for configuring a plurality of field control systems which are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       26. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the sequence library editor is configured further to:
 assign first sequence library files of the same type to one of the lower level engineering projects simultaneously, with permission in use of a single user and prohibition in use of any other users in respect of one field control station of the one or more lower level engineering projects for each sequence library type, wherein the first sequence library files include at least one of SEBOL_USER_FUNCTION, sequential function chart (SFC) and unit procedure type. 
 
     
     
       27. The plant engineering system according to  claim 15 , wherein the one or more field control systems comprise a plurality of field control systems which are different from each other.